Tampa Bay Online is reporting that O. J. Murdock, a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titians, has passed away from an apparent suicide. He was 25-years old.
According to the report, authorities discovered Murdock alone in his car at approximately 8:30 a.m. near Middleton High School. The high school that he had formerly attended.
Murdock was alive when police found him but in critical condition. He later died at the Hospital. They believe that a self-inflected gunshot was the cause of death.
TitansOnline.com released the following statement:
We are shocked and saddened to hear of O. J. Murdock’s death this morning. In his brief time here, a number of our players, coaches and staff had grown close to O. J. , and this is a difficult time for them. He spent the last year battling back from an Achilles injury as he prepared for this year’s training camp. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they try to cope with this tragedy.
Murdock is the fourth NFL player — Junior Seau, Ray Easterling and Dave Duerson — to die of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the last year and a half. The sixth NFL star to commit suicide in the past two years.
Writers note: My heart and prayers go out to Murdock’s loved ones throughout this unimaginably difficult time.
I urge anyone with thoughts of self-harm to please seek immediate help.